Intro to Speed
by Sonatawind
Summary: Ever think about the time Theo actually got into racing? Like how it all started out for him? Well here's a look into the past when he first fell in love with racing.


"Do I seriously only have to do that?" Theo asked looking at his little work area.

"Yep, it's simple, it's easy, and it's the safest job here at the Plant." his brother replied grinning.

It was Theo's first day of work at the Plant. He was finally big enough to start helping his brother in bringing home food for themselves and the rest of the snails. Though he wasn't sure how to feel about his job. The other snails got to focus on harvesting the fresh tomatoes while he had to basically sit in a dirt patch and stack up all the over ripe tomatoes. It just seemed so… boring.

"... I'm not expected to eat them right?"

"Oh no no, they aren't good for you Theo, you just need to stack them up."

"What's the point in doing that?"

"Well they have to go somewhere, and we leave it to nature to break them down over time and it'll help the soil as well, it's a big job, plus you're keeping the bad tomatoes away from the younger snails so they don't get sick."

"Okay…"

Chet gave him a hug.

"I gotta go now, Carl needs me up there with the others, good luck on your first day Theo."

Theo hugged back.

"Thanks Chet."

Chet pulled away and hurried off to his job.

_Over Ripe Tomato Wrangler… Why don't I like the sound of that…?_

Theo looked over to the pile of tomatoes that had already been stacked by the last snail who had had the job. (He wasn't around anymore since a crow got him. Poor Bill.) He cringed a little at all the rotting tomatoes.

_I get the feeling this is the least popular job here at the Plant…_

Theo sighed looking up. He could see the other snails getting to work on picking fresh tomatoes from their stalks. Some socializing as they worked, others just focusing on task. It was a team effort when it came to harvesting. He knew there were other Over Ripe Tomato Wranglers but they were in different parts of the plant with their own piles, and it was a one mollusk effort when it came to it so he didn't really have anyone to talk to.

"Over ripe!"

Theo looked over to the specially made transport system that was by his post to see an over ripe tomato coming down. There were snails posted along it that were calling out over ripe and pushing the tomato along to keep it rolling.

Theo got into position as the tomato came towards him.

Okay it'll be easy. Just let it come down, and then push it to the pile.

He let it roll towards him before he started pushing against. What came next he didn't expect.

He heard an odd noise and the next thing he knew he was covered in rotten tomato juice.

"OH GROSS!"

He quickly made his way out of the tomato shaking the juice off, spitting out any that had gotten in his mouth.

"BLEH!"

"Welcome to the work force Theo." one of the snails on the travel system said snickering.

Few of the other snails snickered along with them. Theo grumbled a bit before moving the tomato (or whatever was left of it.) over to the pile.

The pattern continued throughout the whole day. Some didn't break, but majority did. He was grateful for when lunch time came around. He swore though that the stench of over ripe tomato was now staining his skin and shell.

"So how's your first day so far?" Chet had asked.

Theo didn't go into the details, but he did say it was hard. Chet told him he would get used to it over time and it would be easier. Theo hoped so since this was the only job he was allowed to do. (Least it was the only job Chet was going to allow Theo to do. He was constantly worrying about his brother's safety.)

But over the course of two weeks it wasn't any different. More rotten tomato juice splattering all over him, and just waiting for lunch to come around to get away from it.

_You know what, I bet that crow was just having mercy on Bill._ Theo thought one day after work was over. He was by himself for the night since Chet had to talk with Carl about some safety issues.

Theo decided to take a walk around the house that the Plant was located by. Generally he didn't travel far from the Plant since he didn't want to get spotted by humans. But it was night time so they were all in bed by now… well… save one he came across.

He was passing by the garage window when he saw a man inside looking at some box with pictures on it. A TV as Theo had heard once from some of the other snails. He peered in trying to see what the man was watching. On the screen he could see cars speeding side by side. He could hear someone talking about what was going. He felt... intrigued by it.

He slipped in through the crack in the window to get a better look. He kept in the shadows so the man couldn't see him. He couldn't take his eyes off the screen. Didn't take him long to figure out that it was a race on the screen. What caught his attention was how quickly the cars were moving. It amazed him.

He couldn't help but join in the man's cheers or boos when his favorite racer passed a car or fell behind. He had his eyes locked on the man's favorite racer. The car's colors had caught his attention, but now seeing the techniques he couldn't stop watching.

Guy Gagne was the racer's name. According to the announcer he was a new leading champion in Indy Car Racing... Whatever that was. Theo didn't care, racing was a word he understood. He loved everything he heard.

He was sad and happy when the race ended. He was happy Guy won, but was sad there was nothing else to watch... Well least for that night.

After that night he found himself returning to the garage whenever Chet wasn't around. The man he saw in the garage started to appear less and less till it was only Theo showing up. During the times the man had been there Theo learned how to operate the TV and how to put in video tapes. Theo even learned about car mechanics and racing terms.

Didn't take long before he found himself in love with racing.

"What is he doing...?" A snail asked Chet looking down below at Theo.

Chet looked to see his brother... Racing a tomato...?

"It's neck and neck!" Theo cheered as he moved ahead of the rolling tomato.

Chet blinked back confusion. He had been noticing that Theo was never near the garden at night, let alone he never seemed to get to bed on time.

"Well no harm in him playing with an over ripe tomato right?" Chet asked giving a sheepish grin.

The snail shook it's head.

"He's supposed to stack them, not race them."

"R-Right... I'll talk to him."

Chet tried later that evening to talk to Theo about his antics, but he wasn't interested. He brushed it off saying he was just goofing around. Chet gave up momentarily hoping it was just a one time deal…

But later that night, he noticed his brother sneaking out of their home and towards the garage.

"What is he…?"

Theo quickly made his way through the window turning on the TV and putting a tape in.

"Okay let's see... Ah!"

He quickly paused the tape at the shot of Guy's race car. Theo looked at his own shell and back at the car.

"Hm... can never drive a car... but I can decorate my shell like one."

Theo grinned as ideas came to him on how to do it. Chet crawled up to the window to see him work. Theo let the video continue as he milled around the table looking at various objects.

Chet lost sight of him then saw him reappear with pieces of a crossword puzzles in his mouth. He set them down and disappeared again.

Chet heard a loud crashing noise come from the far end of the garage. Chet rushed in looking around.

"Theo?!" He called out.

"I'm okay!"

Chet looked to the source to see his brother come out a recycling bin with a bottle cap in his head.

"What in the world are you doing?!"

"Looking for decorations."

"For what?"

"You'll see.

Theo made his way back into the recycling bin rummaging through bottles.

"Theo, get out of that bin this minute!"

"What? Sorry can't hear you!"

"Theo!"

Theo ignored his brother's calls. He knew eventually he would stop. Chet stopped after a few and left Theo to his schemes.

Theo emerged from the bin hauling a gold color bottle cap between his shell and neck. On it was a circle sticker that had a number five on it.

He set down the cap and peeled the sticker off using his mouth.

"Perfect." he said between his teeth bringing it back to where he left his crossword puzzle pieces. Carefully setting it down he found a few minutes later the jackpot as it were.

A tube of superglue... and a q-tip. Bringing both back over he got to work, gripping the middle of the q-tip between his teeth as he covered part of his shell in the glue, before carefully placing the sticker upon it. "Hehe...Perfect."

The next morning Chet saw the results of Theo's activities. Theo now had a number five sticker on the front of his shell. On the back he used the pieces of the crossword puzzle to make two race flags.

"What did you do to your shell?!"

"Decorated it like a race car!"

Chet could feel his right eye twitch.

"Like a WHAT?!"

Theo grinned.

"A race car! Like ones the humans drive in the Indy 500!"

"... Why?!"

"Because it's awesome! Oh, and I even have a racing name since Theo isn't going to cut it. From this day forward I shall be known as Turbo!"

"... You can't be serious."

Theo grinned.

"I am, now if you'll excuse me, I got practicing to do."

Theo hurried off leaving Chet baffled.

Keep calm Chet... It's probably just a phase... He'll grow out of it.

He couldn't have been more wrong...


End file.
